Beaten and thrown out of his home by his father, Guy ends up on the streets. A few days later he's 'adopted' by two strays, a German shepherd mix and a gray kitten. Later that night, when he returns to a vacant house he'd found the previous day, he meets three other homeless teens -- Mack, Tone, and Dani. After a false start, because they think he's a punk looking for trouble, they become friends. Dani insists the animals need names, and she decides to call the kitten Ghost, while the dog becomes Shadow. When Mack and Guy are threatened by two real punks in the alley behind the house, Shadow defends them, with Mack's help. This leads to their decision that it isn’t safe to remain where they are. As they move on, the quartet's friendship deepens, and Guy eventually trusts them enough to tell them he's gay ... which they accept with no problem, as it turns out so are Mack and Tone. Now they have to continue dealing with life on the streets while COVID ravages the country, making being homeless a fight for their very survival.

Strays in the Time of COVID

“You’re the landscaper?” Mack asked. “The one Guy helped out?”


“That would be me. He was telling me about your run-in with a couple of guys. I’m glad both of you made it out without any damages.”


“On our part, anyway.” Mack chortled. “They’ll be nursing a few bruises, which are less than they deserve.” He glanced at Guy. “You coming back inside?”


“He will in a minute. Okay?” Simon said before Guy could reply.


“Yeah, sure.” Mack shrugged. “Not like we’ve got anywhere we have to be, though the clerk might wish we did.” He turned on his heel and left.


“Sorry. I probably shouldn’t have done that. But…” Simon paused briefly and Guy wondered what was coming next. He found out when Simon pointed to his truck, which was parked in the lot next to the coffee shop. “It seems everyone and their brother wants new trees this summer since they’re stuck at home, and I’ve got three that need planting. So, how do you feel about giving me a hand?”


Chapter 19